Ingot mold with hot top hangers

ABSTRACT

Hangers for supporting tiles for hot top assembly comprising an element cranked or bent at one end for engagement with an edge of an ingot mould and having on the surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally spaced projections each adapted to engage with one or more corresponding recesses provided in an adjacent surface of the tile. The tile preferably has a row of recesses down the back thereof and the spacing of the recesses corresponds to the spacing of the projections on the tile.

Umted- States Patent [1 1 1111 3,776 503 Boden et a1. Dec. 4, 1973 [54] INGOT MOLD WITH HOT TOP HANGERS 1,947,165 2/ 1934 Nelke 211/88 Inventors: Donald Boden, y; Leslie 3,165,798 1/1965 LaBate 249/106 Young, Darrington, both of E l nd Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Aft l [73] Assignee: Resil Processes Limited, Pontefract, ggai: Chnstensen & O Connor Gamson &

Yorkshire, England [22] Filed: Jan. 21, 1972 57 ABSTRACT PP N04 219,756 Hangers for supporting tiles for hot top assembly comprising an element cranked or bent at one end for en- 52 US. Cl 249/106, 211/113, 249/202 gagemem with an edge mould and having Int. CL I I l I i I on the surface thereof a Of longitudinally 58 Field of S earch 249/1015 197-202- SPmed Proieaims each adapted engage with one 211/86 88 5. 248/201, or more corresponding recesses provided in an adjacent surface of the tile. The tile preferably has a row [56] References Cited of recesses down the back thereof and the spacing of UNITED STATES PATENTS the recesses corresponds to the spacing of the projections on the tile. 1,093,856 4/1914 Hurff 211/113 X 1,182,374 5/1916 Howard et al. 249/106 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures INGOT MOLD WITH HOT TOPHANGERS The present invention relates to hot top assemblies and has particular reference to a hot top assembly which is adjustable within an ingot mould.

It is generally known in the production of metal castings and ingots that if the poured metal is allowed to cool freely, the surface of the metal ingot solidifies firstand in consequence the free flow of liquid metal to compensate for the shrinkage of metal cooling in the lower part of the mould or casting is hindered or prevented so that the resultant ingot or castingwill contain cavities -or fissures. This phenomenon is known as P p In order to prevent the formation of pipe, it is necessary to maintain a reservoir of molten metal at the head of the mould or casting. This can be done in several ways', for instance, it is generally known that a reservoir of molten metal may be obtained by providing a feeder headformed with the lining of the composition which,

when ignited by the molten metal, burns exothermically and thus delays the solidification of the metal at the head of the mould or casting. The formation of pipe may also be minimized or substantially eliminated by making a liningfor a feeder head which has asubstantially lower heat conductivity or heat capacity than the mould below so that the time taken for the metal in the feeder head to solidify is substantially longer than that taken by the body of the ingot or casting. In this way, a reservoir of molten metal isprovided at the head of the casting which can move downwardly into the body 'of the casting to occupy the space formed due to shrinkage of the metal on solidification.

The feeder head lining for an ingot mould typically comprises a plurality of tiles disposed about the feeder head itself, the tiles being juxtaposed about the upper end of the ingot mould with wedges being inserted into the corners between the tiles and hammered into place to secure the hot top together. Furthermore, it is frequently desirable to be in a position to adjust the position of the insulating tiles within the mould itself.

According to the present invention, there is provided a hanger for a hot top tile assembly, which hanger comprises a longitudinal element cranked or bent at one end for engagement with the upper surface of the ingot mould, which element carries on a longitudinal surface of said hanger a plurality of longitudinally spaced projections adapted to engage with one or more corresponding recesses provided in an adjacent surface of the tile with which said hanger is to be employed.

The invention also includes a hot top assembly comprising a plurality of tiles disposed about the upper inner surface of an ingot mould and at least one hanger member associated with each tile, the hanger member comprising a longitudinal element bent or configured at its upper end to engage with an upper edge of an ingot mould, and a plurality of projections provided on the longitudinal surface of said element in a longitudirially spaced configuration wherein each tile is provided with a row of corresponding recesses, the arrangement being such that the tile may be supported by said hanger in its operative position in the mould by engaging at least one recess in the tile with a protrusion on the hanger and such that the location may be altered by inter-engaging difierent recesses and projections.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the projections are arranged to project outwardly of the surface of the hanger element remote from the bent or cranked portion. The hanger may be formed with a single row of projections uniformly spaced'along the longitudinal axis of the element. A corresponding row of slit shaped recesses may be provided in a back surface of the tile and may be moulded thereinto during formation, the arrangement being such that any one or more of theprotrusions or projections onthe hanger may engage with corresponding recesses so-that the position of the tile can be adjusted up and down the hanger itself. Each of the protrusions may be swaged or otherwise treated to provide a portion of increasing thickness over at least an extremity portion of each protrusion so that on inter-engaging the slit shaped recess with the protrusion, a wedging action is exerted with said slit.

The protrusions preferably extend perpendicularly from the surface of the hanger member remote from the cranked portion, and the protrusions may be formed by stamping the protrusions out from the strip constituting the hanger member so that each protrusion extends outwardly with respect to said surface, each of the protrusions being swaged by a depending or an upwardly extending blister on each protrusion whereby at least an extremity portion is of an increasing thickness. The blister may increase in dimension from an extremity of each projection and protrusion so that the maximum dimension is adjacent said element.

The hangers may be made of steel strip and the projections punched from the strip at regularly spaced intervals from along the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal portion thereof. The punched portions maycomprise a rectangular tongue having a semi-circular end which are punched from the strip to extend at an angle of 45 to 50 to the longitudinal axis of the strip and so as to diverge from the strip in an upward direction.

The cranked portion may be substantially perpendicular to the element carrying the protrusions. Alternatively it may be disposed at an angle of to 85 preferably to the element carrying the projections.

In general, two hangers may be provided for each tile although in some circumstances one hanger per tile is sufficient. It is preferred, although not essential, that at least two recesses in the tile should engage with two projections on each hanger.

Following is a description by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings of one method of carrying the invention into effect.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tab hanger in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section along the lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of a recess in the back of a tile. FIG. 5 is a scrap view of the interengagement be tween a slit and a protrusion of the hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of a tab hanger in accordance with the present invention FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a tab hanger of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are alternative embodiments of the hangers in accordance with the present invention.

The tab hanger of the invention comprises a longitudinal strip 10 of 18 gauge steel about 7/ 8 inch wide and 15 inches long. The strip is bent at 11 to provide a rearwardly extending cranked portion 12 providing the engagement member for engagement of the upper edge of the ingot mould. The depending element 13 of hanger 10 has a plurality of projections 14 extending longitudinally of element 13 along the longitudinal axis thereof. Each projection 14 comprises a rectangular tab 15 which is punched from a strip to define a corresponding opening 16, each tab extending outwardly of the forward surface of element 13 at substantially right angles thereto. Each tab is approximately 1 inch in length and 7% inch in width, and is swaged to provide a dish shaped configuration, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, is swaged downwardly to provide a blister having a dish-shaped upper surface of tab 15 so that the cross sectional view of each tab is defined by an upper concave surface 17 and a lower convex surface 18 of each tab.

Each tile for use in connection with the hanger described above is provided with a plurality of corresponding slit shaped recesses 20 which are spaced at regular intervals down the back of the tile, the recesses being moulded into the tile during its formation. It is preferred that two or more spaced rows of recesses are moulded into the back of the tile, so that each tile can be used in conjunction with a pair of hangers. The number of recesses in each row can vary provided that on selection of a desired arrangement between a recess and a projection, the other projections can also be accomodated in recesses, or alternatively extend above or below the tile.

When lining a feeder head or hot top of the mould, the tab hangers are suspended from the top edge of the mould by means of engagement member 12. The tiles are supported by inter-engagement between the projections 14 and the corresponding recesses 20 provided in the back surface 21 of the tile itself. The tab hanger is placed in its desired position on the back of the tile, and pressure applied to the tab hanger or the tile to urge one toward the other, so that the projection 14 enters the recess and so that the concave under surface 18 of the projection 14 has an engaging and joining effect on the internal surface of slit 20. The tab hangers are preferably applied to the tiles before the tiles are hung about the feeder head, although in an alternative embodiment, the hangers can be located and the tiles tapped into place in the usual way.

It is preferred that at least two projections should engage with corresponding recesses in the back of the tile itself.

Turning now to the hanger shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, this comprises a longitudinal strip of 18 gauge steel from inch wide and 15 inches long. The strip is bent at 31 to provide a rearwardly extending cranked portion 32 having a length of some 2% inches to 3 inches and providing the engagement member for engagement with the upper edge of an ingot mould.

The depending element 33 of the hanger 30 has a plurality of projections 34 extending longitudinally of element 33 along the longitudinal axis thereof. Each projection 34 comprises a rectangular tab 35 having a semi-circular extremity which is punched from the strip to define a corresponding opening 36; each tab 35 extending upwardly and outwardly of the forward surface of element 33 at an angle of substantially 45 or 50 to the surface thereof. Each tile for use in connection with the hangers described above is provided with a plurality of corresponding recesses down the back of the tile, the recesses being moulded into the tile during its formation.

Turning now to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the embodiment of FIG. 8 shows an upwardly swaged blister 50 in the projection 14 of hanger 10. The blister extends upwardly of the upper surface of the projection 14 and increases in dimension towards element 13 carrying the projections. The arrangement is such that on insertion into the corresponding recess in the back of a tile the swage blister exerts a wedging action on the recess.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 illustrates the alternative in which the swage is directed downwardly of the projection rather than upwardly.

It has been found in practice that the tab hangers in accordance with the present invention give excellent results and permit tiles to be hung at varying levels within the mould body. It should be appreciated that the shape and configuration of the tabs is not important and that any suitable shape or configuration may be employed providing the projection and shape is sufficient for engagement with the recess and retention of the tile and the hanger during use, always provided that the extremity portion of each projection is of increasing dimension to effect a jamming effect with the corresponding recess, thereby preventing accidental dislodgement of the tile from the hanger in use.

We claim:

1. An ingot mold having a plurality of hangers disposed about an upper inner surface thereof, each of which comprises a longitudinal element having a cranked or bent end portion thereon engaged with the mold, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced projections on a longitudinal surface of the element, each of which is swaged or the like to provide a portion of increased thickness along the projection thereof, and a hot top tile supported on each hanger, said tile having a recess therein within which a projection of the respective hanger is wedgedly engaged due to the portion of increased thickness thereon.

2. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the hanger projections project outwardly from a surface of the hanger element remote from the bent or cranked end portion thereof.

3. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that there is a single row of projections on the hanger element spaced uniformly apart along the longitudinal axis of the element.

4. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that each tile is supported on two or more hangers.

5. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that each hanger projection is swaged to form a depending or upwardly extending blister thereon.

6. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that the blister increases in dimension from the extremity of the projection so that the maximum dimension of the blister is disposed adjacent the surface of said element.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 6 03 Dated December 4 1974 Inventor-(s) Donald BOden et a],

V It-is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

r I I On the cover sheet of the patent please add the" following: Foreign Application Priority Data Jannary 25, 1971 Great Britain e No. 3087/71 February 16 1971 -,Great Britain No, 473l/71 Signed and sealed this 16th day of July 1974.

Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON, JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. An ingot mold having a plurality of hangers disposed about an upper inner surface thereof, each of which comprises a longitudinal element having a cranked or bent end portion thereon engaged with the mold, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced projections on a longitudinal surface of the element, each of which is swaged or the like to provide a portion of increased thickness along the projection thereof, and a hot top tile supported on each hanger, said tile having a recess therein within which a projection of the respective hanger is wedgedly engaged due to the portion of increased thickness thereon.
 2. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the hanger projections project outwardly from a surface of the hanger element remote from the bent or cranked end portion thereof.
 3. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that there is a single row of projections on the hanger element spaced uniformly apart along the longitudinal axis of the element.
 4. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that each tile is supported on two or more hangers.
 5. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that each hanger projection is swaged to form a depending or upwardly extending blister thereon.
 6. An ingot mold as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that the blister increases in dimension from the extremity of the projection so that the maximum dimension of the blister is disposed adjacent the surface of said element. 